Tragic End
by SapphireBlue14
Summary: A tragic end leads to fate. An alternate ending of Clannad After Story episode 21.


The first half of this story is just a retelling but the conclusion makes a different turn. WARNING: DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED OR COMPLETED AFTER STORY AS YOU WILL GET SPOILED.

Hope you enjoy this!

I don't own Clannad sadly. It's owned by Key Visuals and Kyoto Animation. Also Toei Animation for the Clannad movie.

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A frosty breeze swept on the city. Miserable clouds of grey shades formed overhead. Everything was changing slowly to it's extent, just like Akio had said.

Tomoya sat by Ushio's side, gazing at her with utmost grief. Her fever had gone up and she was not recovering.

Every now and then Ushio would moan in pain and sadness and would toss and turn over again in bed, covered in sweat.

Ushio slowly opened her eyes and could just about make a blurry vision of her daddy sitting beside her.

"You okay Ushio?" Tomoya murmured softly.

"Mmm" was all Ushio could say. She didn't want to make her daddy worried.

Tomoya sighed deeply. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Mm" Ushio replied again. Tomoya got up and staggered as his legs nearly gave way. How long had he been sitting there? He stretched and placed Ushio on his lap.

"Drink it nice and slowly. If you gulp it all down you'll get a tummy ache" he said gently.

Ushio took a sip of the nice cold water and smiled. Then she looked thoughtful.

"What is it?" Tomoya asked.

"I want to go on a trip with you Daddy" mumbled Ushio weakly.

Tomoya raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Ushio. You-"

"I want to go now. To the same place we went to last time. The field with lots of flowers and animals."

Tomoya frowned and stood his ground. "We can't Ushio. Wait till you get better."

"But I want to go now. Please Daddy. It would really make both of us happy." begged Ushio.

Tomoya shook his head. "How many times have I told you? You're not going out like that. Wait until you get better" But he looked doubtful.

Ushio did not give up. "But... I really do. Just this once, please? We have to go now, just you and me."

Tomoya hesitated. He stared at Ushio's brimming eyes. He couldn't win this time. And he did want to make his daughter happy. He wanted to grant her one more wish.

"Alright then. We'll go. But if you feel bad you must let me know and we'll see the doctor. Wrap up warm and we'll get going." He smiled softly and got Ushio dressed.

He noticed that Ushio could barely stand, let alone walk.

"Let me carry you." He offered giving her a piggy back ride.

Ushio shook her head. "I can manage." She replied.

"You need to keep warm. I'll hold you if you like."

Ushio refused. "I'm fine."

"Don't push yourself. You'll only make it worse" Tomoya warned.

As they walked along the empty street, Tomoya held Ushio's hand tightly, but she kept falling.

"Ushio. Let's go back" Tomoya pleaded.

Ushio panted heavily, her face red. Something then caught her attention. Snowflakes steadily fell from the sky. Tomoya and Ushio both gazed up at the sky in amazement.

"Do you like watching the snow fall Ushio?" Tomoya asked.

Ushio nodded. "Do you Daddy?"

Tomoya swallowed. He didn't. He hated snow. Really hated it. But he didn't want to tell his own daughter that her mother died during a blizzard. Flashbacks of Nagisa's death shot back in his head.

"I.. uh.. yeah. Daddy likes it too." he lied, smiling.

Ushio smiled in return.

"Come on Ushio, let's go back. It's getting bad."

"I want to go."

Tomoya sighed. "We'll go get a cab. I don't want you walking in this condition."

"I'm okay" replied Ushio weakly.

Tomoya's eyes filled with pain as he watched his little girl get weaker and weaker, making such light footsteps, breathing heavily.

Ushio couldn't take it anymore and suddenly collapsed. "Ushio!" cried Tomoya and caught her just before she hit the ground.

Tomoya stared devastated at Ushio, who was unconscious in his arms. Ushio slowly opened her eyes. "Daddy?" she squeaked.

"I'm right here, my little angel. What is it?" replied Tomoya shakily.

"Did we make it? Are we on the train yet?" Ushio said weakly. Her eyes were blank. They looked lifeless. Tomoya's eyes finally lost it's spark as they widened in shock.

"Y-yeah. We're on the train now." Stammered Tomoya frantically, embracing his daughter.

"It's dark. Is it night?" whispered Ushio.

"Yeah. It's late at night. We'll get you tucked into bed soon." Tomoya said in a raspy voice.

Ushio's eyes were closing. "Oh. Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"I love you" Ushio whispered.

Tears fell from Tomoya's eyes as he hugged her tighter.

"I love you too my little angel." He sniffled.

Ushio smiled weakly. Her last words filled Tomoya's heart with pain.

Her eyes snapped shut and her arm went limp.

Tomoya gasped in horror. He shook Ushio's body. "Ushio? Ushio?" he called.

Ushio didn't respond. She wasn't even breathing. Tomoya, now completely broken had tears streaming down his face. Why Ushio? WHY?

"USHIO!" he screamed as he buried his face into her hair.

Everything he did with Ushio. Everything he wanted to do with Ushio. That one promise and it had been torn apart. He had no future and no hope. Anyone he loved always HAD to go.

Completely lost and helpless, Tomoya cried out to the sky, Ushio completely lifeless.

"No! I don't want this! Nagisa, someone! Please save Ushio! Please! Someone save my little girl! I don't want this! I DON'T WANT TO LIVE!"

Breaking down, Tomoya collapsed into the snow, laying beside his daughter. It seemed like hours. He felt paralysed. He couldn't move at all. His vision then blanked out as he froze in the heavy blizzard.

A blinding white light appeared and wiped everything out of sight.

XXXXXXXXX

_Dream World_

The angel girl and the junk doll were fighting against the heavy blizzard. The orbs had been destroyed and so had the deux machine. It was like another apocalypse was coming into place.

"Goodbye Daddy" the girl whispered as the doll shattered and broke and finally got blown away. The girl slowly started drifting away. Darkness covering her world...

Tomoya found himself drifting higher and higher. All he could see was a white blind. Until –

"Daddy! Daddy!" a voice called in the distance.

Tomoya turned around to see Ushio darting towards him. "Ushio?" he whispered. But it was not Ushio's full life form. It was the remain of her spirit.

"Tomoya-kun!" called another familiar voice. "Nagisa?"

Tomoya flew across to Nagisa and Ushio. "Nagisa! Ushio!" They all embraced and combined together as they flew towards the rabbit on the moon who was waving at them. Just like the Dango Family legend.

XXXXXXX

_Real World_

Tomoyo, Sunohara and Kyou went for a walk around the central park. They had nothing much else to say to each other. "You two alright?" asked Akio who joined them. Sanae followed behind.

Sunohara didn't say anything. Neither did Kyou. "There will be bad things that happen. But good things as well. Sometimes we just have to move on in life" said Tomoyo. "The city's legend had come to a light. It faded to darkness. Then it changed again. Everything's changing. And so are we. We just have to accept that."

."Just like we had to give up our dream for Nagisa" said Akio sadly as Sanae put her arm round him, her expression identical to his.

"Just like what Tomoya said. It's full of memories we can never forget." mumbled Sunohara.

"Just be thankful that they've ended this pain" said Kyou gently.

"What do you mean?" Sunohara asked confused.

Tomoyo gave a small smile. "This is the tree of promises. The whole Okazaki family is awaiting us here. The cherry blossoms form a new life in nature. They are nature themselves. Nothing is stopping life from going on."

Their dream happened once more. Side by side, they watched over the legend come to life. In their loved one's minds, they are watching them and protecting their dream. Then when the moon resides, they sleep together. Hand in hand, as always.

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A/N Okay I got teary eyed just by writing this. I didn't want to make the ending too horrible but at least it was sad enough for me to write. I hope you liked it. Please leave feedback if necessary. I would really like to hear your opinions!


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